Legendary Kiwi woodchopper Jason Wynyard has succumbed to his battle with cancer, aged 49.
The nine-time world champion was diagnosed with stage 4 Burkitt Lymphoma in May and began chemotherapy treatment, but three months later, doctors told him and partner Sharon they could do no more to help him, and gave him only weeks to live.
Wynyard died overnight, with a tribute posted on the Ngāti Manu Facebook page.
"It is with immense sadness we share our loss with you at the passing of our taonga Jason Wynyard in the early hours of this morning," it said. "He will be returning to Karetu Marae, details of his arrival are yet to me confirmed.
"E te rangatira e Jason takoto mārika koe."
In his final days, Wynyard turned from conventional medicine to alternative remedies, including a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and frequency treatment.
"We sat down with the doctors, Sharon and I, and got the pretty tough news," he posted on Instagram last month. "They gave me two weeks' survival time.
"It's been four weeks now and I'm still going, still fighting. Any time there's life, there's still hope... as long as you can keep looking for answers."
Born at the Bay of Islands town of Kawakawa and educated at Waitākere College, Wynyard was of Māori ancestry, affiliating to Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāpuhi iwi. He was appointed a Member of the NZ Order of Merit in 2017 New Year Honours for services to the sport of woodchopping.
Son Ty is a Tall Blacks basketball representative.
In his last Instagram post a week ago, Wynyard paid tribute to "love of my life" Sharon.
More to come
